By Lance Martin

rrspin.com

GARYSBURG – A Garysburg man is in custody on the charges of first-degree murder in a July 4 slaying here.

Kendrick Taylor was apprehended Tuesday afternoon by Halifax County Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents Cody Dickens and Danny Radford following a traffic stop on Highway 301 at the entrance of Dogwood Park Apartments outside Weldon, Garysburg Police Chief Melvin Garner said at the scene.

Garner said it is believed that Taylor, in the early morning hours of last Friday, had intended to shoot the person standing next to 30-year-old Lynn Clanton, the victim in the case, when he allegedly fired at least five shots at a gathering off Kee Street in Garysburg.

It is believed the shooting was prompted by a confrontation between Taylor and the person standing next to Clanton, Garner said.

Taylor’s arrest occurred after investigators learned he frequently visited the Weldon housing project.

Law enforcement officials were also keeping watch for him in the 100 block of Monroe Street in Garysburg, Garner said.

Garner said it was unclear what prompted Dickens and Radford to stop the vehicle.

“It was really all the counties working together. It was teamwork,” he stated.

In addition to first-degree murder, Taylor was also charged with discharging a weapon in the city limits, assault by pointing a gun, going armed to the terror of the people, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. The latter charge reflects the person standing next to Clanton on July 4.

Taylor is scheduled to make his initial appearance today (Thursday) in Northampton County District Court in Jackson.

The car Taylor was driving was impounded and will be searched for evidence by the State Bureau of Investigation, Garner said.

Taylor had no comment as he sat in Garner’s patrol car waiting to be taken for booking.

Meanwhile, Captain James Avens of the Weldon Police Department said Taylor faces a count of assault inflicting serious injury for a matter on May 17 that involved the assault of a man and woman at Sixth and Cedar streets by multiple people.

Weldon Police also arrested Taylor’s brother, Tavio, in that assault on Tuesday. He faces the same charge as his brother and was jailed on $5,000 secured bond. Tavio has an Aug. 6 court date.

(Lance Martin is Editor and Publisher of www.rrspin.com. This article is reprinted with his permission.)